Condyle position indicating apparatus



Dec. 7,1348. c. F. TULLY 2,455,451

CONDYLE POSITION INDICA'IING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 5,1946

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Patented Dec. 7, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GONDYLE rofsrrIoN INDICATING APPARATUS CharlesF. Tully, San Diego, Calif. Application August 5, 1946, Serial No. 688,561 6 Claims. (01. 33-174) ,ment over my former patent -appli cation, Serial No. 618,025, filed September 22, 1945, and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a condyle position indicating apparatus of this class which-accurately indicates dimensional movement of a patients jaws with respect to the vertical axis of said patient when in upright position;

Second, to provide a condyleposition indicating apparatus of this class which presents measurements visible to thedenta'l surgeon which indicate certain dimensions required in reproducing a natural condition when fitting the patient with new dentures;

Third, to provide acondyle position indicating apparatus of this class which indicates theamplitude of the bite .of a patient substantially perpendicular to theaxis of the patients'jaws;

Fourth, to provide anfapparatus of this .class which promotes the most exacting dimensional reproduction of dentures for a particular patient;

Fifth, to provide a condyle position indicating apparatus of this "class which is very quickly and easily applied tothe patient for takinga measurem nt of the patients :jawpositions;an'd

Sixth, to provide a condyle position indicating apparatus of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, efi'lcient in operation and which will not readilyldeteriorate or getout of order.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts -and;porti ons as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon, forming-a part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational'vi'ewfof myflcon'dyle position indicating apparatus shown in connection with a patient illustrated by dash lines and Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken from the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing parts and portions in elevation to facilitate the illustration.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the views of the rawing.

The head bands I and 2, arms 3, chin plate 4, chin plate screw 5, scale member 6, scale guide 1, clamp 8, and the clip 9 constitute the principal parts and portions of my condyle position indicating apparatus.

The head bands vI and 2 are arranged in per,- pendicular relationshipto each other, asshown in Fig. lof the drawings. The head band I, passing over the-patients head laterally thereof, is secured to the head band ,2 which passes around the patients head at forehead elevation as shown best in Fig. l of the drawings. The head band 1 extends downwardly and is provided with a pivotal .bearingpin la on which the normallyrear end of .the .arm 3 is positioned and this bearing pin la is arranged at substantially the pivotal axisof the patients jaws. Adjustably connected with the arms .3, is the chin plate 4 adjustably mounted in connection with the screw 5, all "as shown ,best in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

It will be here noted that the head bands land 2, arms 3, chin plated, and adjustment screw 5 are shown in my formerpatent applicatiomserial No. 618,025, filediseptember 22, 1945. The scaled guide I is a-hollow tubular member open at oppositeends and having a bearing portion 1a at its normally .upper ends secured to theclip 9 which is frictionally secured to the head band 2 when in operative position. .The scale ,member 6 is reciprocably mounted in the bore lbof the scale guide 1 and is provided with graduated portions 6a thereon which may be viewed through the longitudinally slotted portion 1c of the scale guide 1, all as show-nbest in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

It will be noted-that the normally uppenen'd of the scale guide 1 is pivotally mounted on the pin la. and that the normally lower end portion 6b of the scale member 6 is pivotally mounted on the pin to in connection with the-clamp 8;.s'e'c1ired to the arm 3, all as shown best in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The operation of my condyle position indicating apparatus sis substantially as follows:

The *head band 2 is maintained in secure position on ,the patient-;in;its connected relation with the head band I which passes over the upperportion of ,the patients :head. The arm 3 is freely pivotal on the bearing pin la and is moved by the patients jaws in connection with the chin plate 4. As the patients jaws are moved upwardly and downwardly, the scale member 6 moves reciprocally in the bore portion lb of the scale guide I. A reading pointer Id in connection with the scale guide 1, at its slotted portion is used in cooperation with the graduated scale 6a of the scale member 6 for indicating amplitude of the bite made by the patients jaws when making a measurement thereof. In this manner accurate measurements may be made of the bite of a patients jaws and various positions thereof so that the claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a condyle position indicating apparatus, the combination of means adapted to be secured in connection with a patients head having apiv otal bearing portion substantially aligning with the pivotal axis of the patients jaw, an arm pivotally connected with said pivotal bearing and extending forwardly toward the chin portion of the patient, reciprocable scale means interconnecting said means and said pivoted arm forwardly of said pivotal bearing to which said pivoted arm is connected for indicating relative dimensional movement of a patients jaw relatively to his skull.

2. In a condyle position indicating apparatus of the class described, the combination of head engaging means adapted to be securely positioned on the head of a patient having bearing means substantially aligning with the pivotal axis of a patients jaws when in position on a patients head, reciprocable scale means in connection with said head engaging means forwardly of said hearing portion, an arm pivotally connected with said bearing portion and extending forwardly in spaced relation to the connection of said reciprocable scale means with said head engaging means, said reciprocable scale means interconnecting said pivoted arm and said head enga ing means.

3. Ina condyle position indicating apparatus of the class described, the combination of head band means adapted to engage the head of a patient and arranged to extend over the top thereof and around the upper portion of a patients head and having a bearing portion substantially aligning with the pivotal axis of a patients jaws, a pivoted arm pivotally connected to said bearing portion of said head band means and extending forwardly toward the chin of a patient wearing said head band means, and reciprocable scale means interconnecting said head band means and said pivoted arm forwardly of the pivotal axis of said pivoted arm.

4. In a condyle position indicating apparatus of the class described, the combination of head band means adapted to engage the head of a patient and arranged to extend over the top thereof and around the upper portion of a patients head and having a bearing portion substantially aligning with the pivotal axis of a patients jaws, a pivoted arm pivotally connected to said bearing portion of said head band means and extending forwardly toward the chin of a patient wearing said head band means, and reciprocable scale means interconnecting said head band means and said pivoted arm forwardly of the pivotal axis of said pivoted arm, said reciprocable scale means pivotally connected with said head band means and said pivoted arm at its opposite ends.

5. In a condyle position indicating apparatus of the class described, the combination of head band means adapted to engage the head of a patient and arranged to extend over the top thereof and around the upper portion of a patients head and having a bearing portion substantially aligning with the pivotal axis of a patients jaws, a pivoted arm pivotally connected to said bearing portion of said head band means and extending forwardly toward the chin of a patient wearing said head band means, and reciprocable scale means interconnecting said head band means and said pivoted arm forwardly of the pivotal axis of said pivoted arm, said reciprocable scale means pivotally connected with said head band means and said pivoted arm at its opposite ends, said reciprocal scale including a tubular member and a scale member reciprocally mounted therein.

6. In a condyle position indicating apparatus of the class described, the combination of head band means adapted to engage the head of a patient and arranged to extend over the top thereof and around the upper portion of a patients head and having a bearing portion substantially aligning with the pivotal axis of a patients jaws, a pivoted arm pivotally connected to said bearing portion of said head band means and extending forwardly toward the chin of a patient wearing said head band means, and reciprocable scale means interconnecting said head band means and said pivoted arm forwardly of the pivotal axis of said pivoted arm, said reciprocal scale means pivotally connected with said head band means and said pivoted arm at its opposite ends, said reciprocable scale including a tubular member and a scale member reciprocally mounted therein, said tubular member having a longitudinally slotted portion therein through which said scale member may be read.

1 CHARLES F. TULLY.

1 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,613,659 Hickok Jan. 11, 1927 2,125,809 Puckett Aug. 2, 1938 

